3 Tips to Help Land Your First Job

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You have successfully completed your bachelor’s degree and are anxious to move to the next stage of your life and career. This moment is filled with excitement because you no longer have the burden of earning passing grades, yet, there is also a sense of trepidation resulting from the uncertainty of post-graduation life.

There is no greater pressing issue than finding your first job with diploma in hand. If you follow these tips, you will be that much closer to having a W-2 and enjoying all of the benefits of your years of hard work in college.

Update your Resume

As a job seeker, your resume is the best marketing tool you have to capture the intention of hiring managers. While having a stellar resume will not guarantee a job offer, it is, however a needed tool to get an invitation for a job interview.

In crafting your resume, you need to quantify your experiences to date. Since you have a limited or short work history, you need to highlight those activities that you engaged in during your college years. For instance, involvements in clubs/organizations, volunteering, work study, and internships.

Additionally, discuss the leadership roles that you were in and those problems you resolved. However, while it may be tempting to use buzzwords like “motivated” “team player” and “detail focused”, you should, however, explain how you were able to make a positive impact within the organization, even if you only served as a volunteer. Use statements such as “improved process efficiency by 15%” or “exceeded alumni donations by $10,000”.

Lastly, take advantage of your schools resources. Most schools have an entire department devoted to alumni relations and career services that offer a host of amenities like a job network, on-campus recruiting, interview workshops, and resume writing. Also, do not be afraid to ask your former professors for a letter of recommendation.

Buy a Business Outfit

While the business culture of today is trending toward that of a casual work environment, you still need to make a good impression to get hired. Buy yourself a simple black suit (Males) or skirt (Females). Even though you may be on a budget, there are some cheap alternatives to reduce the costs associated with purchasing these items.

For instance, in most communities, there are several second hand stores that carry a large selection of men and women clothing. Such as the Goodwill or other consignment stores. Generally, depending on your area, you can get pants, coat, skirt, and/or shirt relatively cheap and in many cases, less than $30. Even if you are one that leans toward fashion trendiness, these stores have a decent inventory of designer and name brand items.

Prepare for the Interview

Now, you are almost ready to hear the words “You are hired”, but before this can be a forgone conclusion, you need to WOW the hiring manager who is trying to fill the vacant position with the person who not only has the qualifications but also who is well-suited for the organizational culture. So, you need to be prepared by finding out as much as you can about the company such as their products, services, culture, competitors, history, leadership, and current challenges. While most of this information may be available on the company website, you may need to dig a little deeper.

Also, you need to be able to talk about yourself in regards to your skills, abilities, and achievements. This is something that some may have difficulty conveying because it is not always easy to talk about yourself without coming across as narcissistic or egotistical. But, the decision makers need to know the value you bring to the company if hired.

Prior to the interview, you should make a list of questions you would like to ask. These questions should demonstrate your interest in both the job and the company.

Some example questions include:

• What are the daily responsibilities of this job?

• What is the company’s five-year plan?

• How has technology affected their business model?

To impress the hiring manager, you need to be bold and confident. You need to send a positive message through your body language by maintaining eye contact, have a firm handshake, listen carefully, welcome questions with a smile – even the difficult ones, and be honest. When responding to a question, it would be helpful to pause a moment before sharing your answer. If you do not understand the question, ask for it to be repeated. Once the interview is over, you need to send everyone a Thank You note. These small details will help you stand out over the other applicants.

So, there you have it. If you abide by these simple tips, you will be sure to land your first job quickly and avoid the pitfalls made by many graduates. Congratulations on completing your degree and happy job hunting!